1.5.5-Kcrabb88
Brick Club 1.5.5- Vague Flashes in the Horizon It’s really irrelevant that the first thing that came to mind when I read “slanders and calumnies against Monsieur Madeline” was Jack Sparrow saying “am not slander and calumny” to Barbossa in the third Pirates of the Caribbean movie, but that IS what came to mind, and so I was laughing while imagining Jack Sparrow in Les Mis. But then I got to the terrifying description of Javert and I decidedly wasn’t laughing anymore. Every time I read this description I certainly feel “ill at ease” as Hugo might say. Just the way Hugo describes Javert’s features, the “ominous look” a “threatening chin” a “monstrous club” paints a pretty frightening picture. I also paid particular attention to the “you would see spring all at once out of this shadow, as from an ambush” which I’m wondering if the creators of the musical and actually the movie in particular paid attention to, because Javert ALWAYS just seems to appear places in the stage and movie versions. I’ll never forget watching the movie for the first time and all of a sudden Russel Crowe’s Javert was just THERE in the shadows of the hospital, and Valjean even jumped in surprise. I very nearly shouted “But where did you even COME FROM?” Are you a ninja, Javert? Did Hugo forget to mention that? I’m also fascinated by the animal comparison Hugo makes; I remember reading an interview with Hadley Fraser, who made mention of this bit and said Javert was a “dog-wolf in human form” or something along those lines. But Javert being compared to the one who got kicked out of the litter is so incredibly accurate, because Javert, even though he technically guards society, isn’t involved in it at all in any way I can see; he shuns his family, he doesn’t appear to have any friends, he just keeps totally isolated. I feel like he has to be lonely in some way, but there isn’t any indication that it bothers him? And now I’m wondering what kinds of animals Hugo would have compared other Les Mis characters to…. Also thanks to the awesome people clearing up the “gypsy race” bit, because that’s what my translation says, and I’ve never been sure if it was meant to be a racial indication or not (I know I’ve seen it done that way in fics before), as in Javert’s parents were from Bohemia in Eastern Europe, but now I see that’s not the case, that Hugo is referring to the subculture. So hurray for translation clarity! Commentary Pmfji Quote: “Also thanks to the awesome people clearing up the “gypsy race” bit, because that’s what my translation says, and I’ve never been sure if it was meant to be a racial indication or not (I know I’ve seen it done that way in fics before), as in Javert’s parents were from Bohemia in Easter Europe, but now I see that’s not the case, that Hugo is referring to the subculture. So hurray for translation clarity!” This is one way you can see it, but not the only one. There is something that I’m wondering about every time I read Hugo’s description of Javert. Somehow I can’t help the impression that Javert apparently wants other people to see as little of his face as possible. His forehead is hidden by hair falling into his eyes and the hat drawn low into his face, his chin is tucked into his cravat, and his cheeks are covered by his ‘enormous’ sideburns. Basically the only visible part of his face is his nose. Also, he draws his hands up into his sleeves. Why does he do all this? He clearly is not trying to vanish in a crowd or make himself invisible (Hugo made it sufficiently clear that that would have been impossible because of his height alone) – no, it’s rather like he is trying to hide every bit of skin he can. Because of its colour? I know this is by no means a necessary conclusion, but to me it would totally make sense. A racial background would also play into his notion that people cannot change their nature, whether it be criminal, gypsy or whatever. So, to say that Hugo was referring to a subculture rather than a race would be just as much of an assumption as the other way round. Fact is, nobody knows what exactly he meant. He deliberately kept it vague, so it’s up to the reader (and also the translator) to decide what they make of it. That’s one of the things I love most about this book - there are lots of aspects you can interpret in different ways, and all of them are legit. Kcrabb88 (reply to Pmfji) This is also a really excellent point!! Hugo so often does leave things up to reader interpretation, which is one of the most interesting things about his writing. He throws clues out and then leaves us to debate them. Pilferingapples (reply to Pmfji) Reposting because Discussion About Interpretations, yay! Mind I have nothing useful to add, this is high-end Language! stuff, and I just do not know. But yay, discussion!